365 | Spirits | Scotch, Scotland | Page 5

"The wonderful bouquet includes scents of bacon fat, honey, orange rind with deeper smells of black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla bean and pipe tobacco. Entry is silky smooth, semisweet, concentrated and honeyed; the midpalate offers grainy sweet, yet spicy, tangy, fruity, nutty and floral tastes. The oak element really emerges in the aftertaste, ideally completing this sensational blended Scotch. One of the finest blended Scotches in the world." 96-100 pts.

"Brilliant amber color. Round and delicate aromas of caramelized pecans and hazelnuts, heathery peat and spice cake follow through on a soft, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with buttercream, floral honey, and sea salt notes. Finishes with a long, evolving fade of spice, nuts, and earth. Excellent." Gold Medal.

"Brilliant golden amber color. Roasted nut, caramel, dried heather, and delicate sherried oak aromas follow through to a very round, smooth and dry medium body of dry caramel, delicate peat, and nut shell flavors. Finishes with nicely warming toffee and mellow white pepper fade with a touch of river stones. A very solid and mild blended Scotch."

"Golden color. Raw honey with phenolic peat, iodine, and burnt sugar aromas. A round entry leads to a sweetish medium-bodied palate with sweet creamy caramel, peat, heather, herbs, and peppery spice flavors. Finishes with a long iodine and toffee fade. Wild and raw Islay flavors meshed with mellow sweetness."

Pronounced "a-boon'arh" (Gaelic for origin), this beauty is aged in Oloroso sherry butts, and bottled at cask strength with no chill-filtering.

Aberlour 16 Year Old is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and the finest ex-sherry butts. This maturation ensures the depth of character as well as the distinctive fruitiness and spiciness of Aberlour. Colour: Rich golden amber Nose: Rich, dry scented floral and sweet raisin aromas with spicy nuttiness Palate: Smooth, full, sweet floral and spicy flavours with a soft plum fruitiness and gentle oakiness Finish: Long, warm, spicy fruitiness

"Nose: Sea-salt, peat sherry. Body: Full, smooth. Palate: The dryness of the whisky itself is at first offset by the sweetness of the sherry character. As the palate develops, the salty notes in particular emerge."

"Nose: Much more assertive sherry character. Body: Full, round. Palate: more complexity and fullness of flavour, with flowering currant and Calvados-like notes. Finish: Slow at first, then oaky, sappy, and powerful."

One of the most requested Scotch blends has finally arrived in the U.S! Monkey Shoulder is more than a cute bottle – though those monkeys sure are adorable – it's an all-Speyside vatting with no grain whisky. It earns its description as a "triple malt," containing Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie malts. - The Whiskey Hotline